Law practice is increasingly specialized, and Vanderbilt offers several well-established upper-level tracks that allow students to gain in-depth exposure to fast-evolving technical and complex areas of law.

Stay Connected

Vanderbilt’s Career Services program provides students with the resources and support they need to assess their strengths, explore career options, refine their career goals and launch successful legal careers.

Get Connected

Most students find it important to balance the demands of legal studies by joining one or more organizations for professional advancement, personal development, community service and professional networking.

Get Connected

Transfer & Visiting Students

Transfers

Each year, the law school considers applications from J.D. students at other law schools who request to transfer for their second and third years of legal studies. The Vanderbilt J.D. program is full-time only; we have no part-time or evening programs.

Transfer applicants should note the following:

If admitted, transfer students may transfer up to 30 credit hours. Courses satisfactorily completed at the other school are usually accepted, even when the number of credits for a particular course differs from the number of credits for the same course at Vanderbilt.

Transfer grades are recorded as “Pass” grades, not as the numerical or letter grades originally awarded, and they are not included in the cumulative grade point average.

Transfer students are required to complete four (4) full-time semesters at Vanderbilt to receive a J.D. degree.

Transfer students may participate in the student journal selections.

Because Vanderbilt accepts transfer credits but not grades, it is unlikely a transfer student can meet the 75% rule to qualify for Order of the Coif.

Although transfer students are not eligible for joint-degree programs, they may apply to the Ph.D. in Law and Economics program as second-year J.D. students at Vanderbilt.

Transfer Early Action: Apply between February 15 and April 1

We will consider Early Action applications from students who have completed the first semester of study in an ABA-approved JD program. Early Action decisions are made on a rolling basis from early March through late April. Early Action applications may be accepted, denied, or deferred to the Transfer Regular Decision process. Deferred Early action applications will be considered under Regular Decision upon receipt of a law school transcript containing final grades obtained during the full first year of law school.

All Early Action offers of admission are conditioned on receipt of a final first-year transcript showing second-semester performance consistent with the level achieved during the first semester Accordingly, each admitted applicant is required to submit an official transcript containing final grades for the full first year of law school to the Admissions Office for approval and confirmation of admission.

If you are admitted under Early Action, we will ask that you confirm your intent to enroll by May 1 or within two weeks of your admission, whichever is later. By mid-July, all entering transfer students must provide a binding statement of intent to enroll at Vanderbilt, affirming withdrawal of all transfer applications to other law schools as a requirement for participating in on-campus employment interviews.

Transfer Regular Decision: Apply by July 1

Transfer Regular Decision applications may be submitted through July 1. Admission decisions are made as soon as possible after completion of each file, including receipt of a law school transcript containing final grades obtained during the full first year of law school.

If you are admitted as a transfer under regular decision, you will be expected to submit a $750 non-refundable deposit by a deadline provided with your offer of admission. In mid-July, all entering transfer students must provide a statement of intent to enroll at Vanderbilt, affirming withdrawal of all transfer applications to other law schools as a requirement for participating in on-campus employment interviews.

Required Transfer Application Materials

We are committed to providing a thorough evaluation to each application, and the admissions process reflects our belief that the quality of the educational environment benefits from considering a range of information about individual applicants. First-year law school performance is particularly important in the transfer process.

The following items must be submitted to complete your electronic application:

Application form - Complete as instructed and attach your résumé.

Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report - You must register with LSAC for CAS at LSAC.org. Your CAS report will include your LSAT score(s), LSAT writing sample, letters of recommendation, photocopies of your academic transcripts, and a transcript analysis.

Two letters of recommendation - Letters should be from people who have worked closely with you and who know you well. One letter must be from a faculty member at your current law school. Letters from faculty members who have taught you tend to provide information most relevant to you as a law student and most helpful to readers of your application. Faculty members who have served as your advisors, research supervisors, or have taught you in more than one course are often good choices. Letters from employers who know you well can also provide helpful and relevant information for your application. Letters of recommendation should be submitted through CAS.

Law school Dean's letter - Transfer applicants must provide a law school dean's letter indicating good standing. The letter should be submitted directly to the Admissions Office.

Transcripts - Original official law school transcripts may be submitted through CAS or directly to the Admissions Office. Early Action applicants must submit.

A $50 application fee - The fee is non-refundable, and must be paid online by credit card.

Vanderbilt transfer applications may be initiated as of February 1 and may be submitted as of February 15. Early Action applications must be completed by April 1. Regular Decision applications must be completed by July 1.

Visiting Students

J.D. students at other ABA-approved law schools may apply for visiting student status by submitting the same materials required for transfer applicants except an LSAC CAS report. Please provide a transcript from your law school showing grades for all academic work you have completed. Visiting students may not apply online, however, and must obtain paper J.D. application forms and instructions by printing the pdf forms or contacting the Admissions Office Office to request a viewbook.

Visiting student applications must be submitted by August 1 for the Fall semester and by December 1 for the Spring semester.